New Ulm weekly review., 1887-11-16

u
would seem no influence could bring u tre-
NOR OF fear. And now bailff approaches,
and seizing Parsons robe passed a leathern
strap around his ankles In a moment they
were closely pinioned together Engel's
legs were next strapped together, and
when the official approached Fischer
the latter Strengthened up his tall figure
to its full height, and placed his
ankles close together to facilitate the opera
tion. Spies was the last, but he was the first
around whose neck the fatal cord was
placed One Of the attendant bailiffs seized
the moose in front of Spies, ana passed it
deftly over the doomed mans head 1t
shake of his head, cast it down around his
neck, and then the baiiff tightened it till it
touched the warm flesh. and carefully placed
the knot beneath the left ear. When the
officer approached, Fischer threw back his
head and barred his long, muscular throat by
the movement Fischer's neck was very
long, and the moose nestled snugly
around It. When it was tightened around
his windpipe Fischer turned around to Spies
and laughingly whispered something in
Spies ear. But the latter either did not hear
him, or else was too much occupied with
other thoughts to pay attention Engel
smiled down at the crowd and then turning
to Deputy Peters, who guarded him, smiled
gratefully toward him and whispered some
thing to the officer that seemed to affect bim
1t looked at first as it Engel was about to
salute his guard with kiss, but he evidently
satisfied himself with some word of peace.
Parson face never moved as the moose
dropped over his head, but the same terrible
fixed look was on his face.
NO SPEECHES.
And now the people were expecting that
the speeches for which the four doomed
ones craved twenty minutes each this morn
ing would be delivered, but to everyones
surprise. the officers who had adjusted the
moose proceeded to fit on the white cap
without delay. Is yas first placed on Spies
head, completely hiding his head and face.
just before the cap was pulled over Fischer's
head, Deputy Spears turned his eyes up to
meet those of the tall young anarchist.
Fischer smiled down on his guard just as
pleasantly as Engei did on his and he
seemed to be whispering some words OF for
giveness, but it may have been otherwise
as not even the faintest echo reached
the men in the corridor below
Engel and Parsons soon donned their white
caps after this. and now the four men stood
| upon the scaffsld clad from top to toe in
pure white. All was ready now for the sig
| nal to let the drop fall In the little box at
the back of the stage and fastened to the
wall the invisible executioner stood with ak
| poised, ready to cut tho cord that held them
between earth and heaven. The men had
| not noticed this. but they knew the end was
nea-. For an instant there was dead sill
ence, and then a mournful, solemn voice
sounded from behind the first right hand
mask and cut the air like wall OF sorrow
and Of warning. Spies was speaking from
behind his shroud The words seemed to
drop into the cold, silens air like pellets OF
fire
/ THEIR LAST WORDS.
Here is what he said: st is not meet that
I shoules speak here. where my silence Is
more terrible than my urterances Then
1 a deeper, stronger voice came out with a
mufaed mysterious cadence from behind the
white pail that hid the face of Fischer. He
only spoke eight words: sThis Is the hap
piest moment OF my life But the nex1
voice that caught up the refrain was q differ
/ ent one IL was drm. and the melancholy